Thinking of you
by Pantomancer
Summary: Korra takes the gang home to meet her parents and the family vibe gets Bolin thinking about his parents. He has trouble dealing with his emotions. Ive never written before, so thanks Mindgames0145 (tumblr) for the prompt. The song is A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope. Italics are Korra singing, Bold is her mom and Italic bold are them both. Please review, I would love you forever!3
1. Chapter 1

"So, when you said it was cold here, you failed to mention that anything slightly wet freezes almost instantly."

Korra looked up at her earth bender boyfriend and couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped her. Standing there wrapped in her floor length, fluffy, sky blue bath robe was Bolin, blue lipped and shivering due to the fact that his wet hair had frozen solid after his first bath in her home. Korra, Bolin, Mako and Asami had arrived only hours earlier, after their long journey from Republic City, and Bolin was the last of the group to shower before dinner.

"I'm sorry, I thought when you saw all the snow and lack of need for refrigeration you would realize." She said with fake innocence. "Here, sit down and I'll help you."

She moved from her space in front of the fireplace and motioned for Bolin to sit down. Once he did so she directed heat into her palm and fingers with her fire bending and slowly started massaging his hair out its frozen state, Bolin relaxed visibly.

"I guess I forgot to warn you since my family and I never have this problem." She mused. "Ever since I was little I always used fire bending to dry our hair, and I guess Mako and Asami didn't have much of a problem because Mako can dry theirs."

She had really missed being home and started to wonder what her parents had done for their hair while she was away. Absentmindedly, she started humming her favorite toon, from a song her mother always used to sing as they took turns taking care of each others hair, gazing distractedly at the fire. She was picturing her family's old routine; Korra would dry, her mother would brush and her father would stlye their hair into their personalized pony tails.

"What's that you're humming?" Bolin asked quietly, leaning into her touch, "It sounds beautiful."

"It is," Korra replied as a small smile played itself across her lips, "My mother used to sing it for me all the time"

By this time Bolin's hair was completely dry and she had only been working on it to keep him warm. He carefully caught her hands in his own and turned to face her.

"Can I hear it?" He asked shyly, gazing into her beautiful, cerulean blue eyes. She gazed thoughtfully back into his forest green eyes, biting her lower lip as she considered it.

"I'm not the best singer," she warned him, lightly blushing.

"Oh come on, I'm sure you're amazing!" he said as he gave her a small peck on the lips, "I already know everything else about you is."

That small comment led her to make her decision. He would be the first person she sang too, other then her parents and Naga. She felt as though this were a small gift to give him, in response to how amazing of a boyfriend, and best friend, he was to her. Even with that in mind, she was still a bit nervous.

"Okay," she sighed. "Here goes nothing."

"It'll be okay," she thought to herself. "Even if I am terrible he probably wont mind, there's really nothing to worry about." She took one deep breath, two and then-

"_A drop in the ocean_  
_A change in the weather_  
_I was praying that you and me might end up together_  
_It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert_  
_But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven_"

Her voice was beautiful, like none other Bolin had ever heard. Her volume pitched and rolled, like the waves of the sea. Coming in loud and receding peacefully, adding drama and emotion to every word of the song. As Korra took a deep breath and was about to start again, she was interrupted by someone they hadn't noticed enter the room until that moment.

**"I don't wanna waste the weekend**  
**If you don't love me pretend**  
**A few more hours then it's time to go"**

Korra turned to face the newcomer, a warm expression so happy and pure it showed she already knew who it was and she was nothing but joyful at the surprise. She shot up and ran to hug the woman she looked identical too, who was standing by a kind but stern looking, older gentlemen.

**_"As my train rolls down the east coast I wonder how you keep warm_**  
**_It's too late to cry_**  
**_Too broken to move on_**

**_And still I can't let you be_**  
**_Most nights I hardly sleep_**  
**_Don't take what you don't need from me"_**

The man had walked over to Bolin, who had risen from where he was sitting, and nudged him with his shoulder.

"Like mother like daughter, eh?" the man whispered with a chuckle. Bolin was to speechless to respond.

They're voices wove in and out of each other, creating a harmony that oozed practice, memory and meaning.

**"It's just a drop in the ocean**  
_A change in the weather_  
**_I was praying that you and me might end up together_**  
**_Its like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert_**  
**_But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven"_**

Bolin was stunned. He only realized his mouth was hanging open when he turned to the man the he guessed was Korra's father and notice the humored look in his eyes.

"_Misplaced trust and old friends_  
**Never counting regrets**  
**_By the grace of God I do not rest at all"_**

They ended together, perfectly in harmony until the last note faded to nothing. The woman raised her hand to her daughters cheek and brushed away a stray tear before pulling her into a tight hug.

"I missed you so much!" They said, together. They broke away from the hug, laughing only to be both scooped up into the arms of the man Bolin had just been standing by. He felt like an intruder, this was the first time Korra had seen her parents for almost a year, after all. She had been so disappointed to find a note on the door when they arrived, saying that her parents had gone out to buy some last minute additions to their meal. He was just about to turn and leave when the older woman turned to him and gave him the most dazzling smile.

"You must be Bolin!" she practically gushed. Bolin quickly studied her face, noticing her tired yet beautiful features that hinted at age, but still held young, spirited beauty. He could see where Korra got her looks from. "I'm Senna and this is my husband Tonraq," she said, waving a hand at the man.

"It's great to meet you," Bolin said politely, holding out his hand to Tonraq only to have himself pulled into a bear hug. "I've-heard- a lot- about you!" he choked out in gasping breaths. Tonraq was just about squeezing him to death.

"That quite the outfit you've got on, earth boy!" Tonraq commented with an exuberant laugh.

Bolin had to be blushing to his roots, he had completely forgotten about the fluffy mess he had on. He had been so caught up in Korra and Senna's singing and they're unusually cheerful and familiar greeting. He looked at Korra for help and saw her hiding her smile behind her hand, one arm still around her mother's waist.

"I'm so sorry!" Bolin exclaimed. "I completely forgot I had this on. I'll just go change, don't mind me!" He practically ran from the room, knocking over the little coffee table in the process, dropping all the dignity he had left in a sad, misshapen puddle.

*A little later, at dinner*

They were all sitting at the dinner table, happily chowing down on some of the water tribes favorite foods. An assortment of freshly caught fish, seaweed, and water tribe noodles among others. Everyone was on their second or third plate and were talking more then they were eating.

Asami was next to Mako, directly to the left of Bolin and they were debating which of the kinds of fish they each liked best. The Bolin's right was Korra, with Senna then Tonraq next to her. Korra was telling them every detail of her stay in Republic City, with little comment from her attention grabbed parents other then some worried "Oh no, were you okay?" and "You did what!" from her mother and proud "That's my girl" and other words of encouragement from her father. A couple times throughout the meal he was brought into each conversation with a short question, but he was quiet most of the meal.

What was really on Bolin's mind was something he tried not to think about often, but couldn't be avoided in the happy home setting.

He was thinking of his parents; all the happy memories, how much he missed them and how much he longed for them to be there for him to talked to like Korra and her parents. He wondered what they would think of how he and Mako turned out, and it they would approve of Asami and Korra.

"-sleep together it'd be okay."

Bolin was shocked out of his thinking by Korra's hand on his shoulder.

"W-what?" He stuttered.

"I said it should be okay if you and Mako share a room and If Asami and I share room." She quickly explained, smiling down at him. "We only have two extra rooms, my old one and the guest room."

"Yeah, that should be fine," Mako interrupted. "We're used to sleeping in the same room."

"Yeah, and I'm actually excited to be able to have some girl time with Korra." Asami said with a sly smile. "We could do each others makeup!" She said with exaggerated excitement and a girly giggle.

She was always trying to get Korra into letting her do her makeup and hair, but after a while It turned into more of a joke then actually request.

"In your dreams!" Korra exclaimed, getting a laugh out of everyone in the room. They all helped clear the table and after a little more small talk everyone left in pairs to their rooms.

A couple hours later and Bolin was lying in bed staring at the ceiling of his new room for the next month. Sleep was evading him, and with no one talking to distract him he had nothing to jar him out of him thoughts of his parents. "I miss them so much" he thought to himself as his heart ached. "It hurts to think about it,". As he got more and more exhausted he started to picture them in his mind.

His lean mom with her fiery personality that matched her element perfectly. Passionate and stubborn about everything with big golden eyes and curly black hair. She was always the one the boys went to when they were bullied by someone. She stood as tall as the shoulder of the man next to her. Tall and muscular, his father had smaller green eyes and spiky black hair. He was calm, dependable and strong like his element, the voice of wisdom when someone got into too much trouble. He was very kind when he spoke, but when he said something was final, it was final.

Picturing them in his head made his heart ache even more. The image was so crisp it was like they were there in front of him, waiting for him to tell them about his day. As tears welled under his eyelids, he added aged features to their looks. Some gray in his mothers hair, some wrinkles around his fathers eyes and mouth from always smiling, always laughing. He remembered his laughing, the deep, echoing sound filling his mind, his heart. He felt as if it was going to burst right out of his chest and start crying its own tears in front of him. So many thoughts and memories flooded into his mind, suppressed for so long. They pushed the tears out and down his the sides of his face to make room for themselves.

The time when he and Mako fought and broke a lamp, when they would go walking beneath the trees in autumn, swinging in the park as his parents pushed him and his brother, looking into the window of a store and wanting that one new toy, finding a wounded turtleduck on the street and bringing it home. So many memories, forgotten by the constant struggle of lving on the streets.

Then, with his minds eye he put them in the living room of an average home in the City. His parents on the couch in front of him, Mako next to him and Pabu on his shoulder. He started telling them about the hardships of street life. Making the gruel from barely edible trash, working with gangs and bullies for money, everything. Picturing their reactions, the things they'd say, their expressions as the said them. Slowly, he drifted off into a hollow, restless sleep.

About a week went by. During the day everyone would go out and catch fish, Korra would show them around the tribe, they would see old pictures of Korra as a baby, and they would all sit around the fire and play games and talk. It was easy to imagine life here and it only added fuel to the fire that was becoming Bolin's mind.

Every night, just before bed, he would picture his parents. Always the same outfits, in the same place. And he would just talk. He would talk for hours in his head, telling them about everything. One night it was how he got Pabu, the other was how much Mako cherished his scarf. He talked about Pro bending for three nights, first explaining the rules, then how they got started, then all of the people they played against.

On the fifth day, Bolin started getting antsy when he thought about them. He would put on his coat and wander outside. He was walking and thinking for about thirty minutes when he came across a small park, almost exactly identical to his favorite one from his childhood, with the exception of the emptiness and snow. He sat on a swing and thought for hours, until he could not longer feel his fingers and toes. This quickly became routine to him and that's where he spent his time most nights. On the one swing, lazily drifting back and forth as he started speaking out loud about his life to the emptiness in front of him.

Usually when Bolin snuck out everyone was already asleep. So used to the silence, Bolin didn't walk with much caution other then to not make too much noise. He barely noticed that the light was on in the kitchen and it didn't register that the soft clinking noises coming from there meant someone was up. He snapped into attention just in time, ducking behind a decorative animal pelt to the side of the door as Korra and her parents walked out, holding mugs of what smelt like hot chocolate and whispering to each other. They walked across the hall to the living room and settled there.

More careful now, Bolin ducked and tiptoed the rest of the way out of the house, waiting for any other sign of movement before opening the door and closing it softly behind him.

He crunched his way through the almost knee high snow. Taking the usual twists and turns to get to the same park. He passed the slides and monkey bars to get to the swings at the very back. Taking the middle swing he sighed.

"Hey mom and dad," He said, looking at his feet at first.

"What's wrong, bon-bon?" Bolin imagined his mother asking, using the same kid name she used to when he was sad.

"Sometimes thinking of you feels better, almost as if you were here, but I know you never will be and it hurts even more. I can't sit in a room and drink hot cocoa and talk to you like Korra and her parents can, or give you gifts or surprise you with something." He sighed.

"You have us here, though." she assured him. "We will always be there to listen when you call us."

"I think it's time I told you two about my and Mako's girlfriends." He said uncertainly, trying to change the subject before he got too emotional.

"My boys have girlfriends?!" His father asked, incredulously. "When did this happen?"

"About six or seven months ago, dad," Bolin said with a sweet smile. "Mako's girlfriend's name is Asami, and they met when she hit him with her moped."

"She sounds like… quite the catch!" her mother said with a chuckle and slow shake of her head.

"She really is," Bolin assured her. "She very pretty, she has soft green eyes and black hair and a nice smile. She's very smart and capable. She doesn't let her emotions cloud her judgment and she's not afraid of doing anything, as long as she can make sure her friends are safe."

"She sounds very dependable," his father said

"Which is great!" his mother added.

"She is.." He said quietly.

"Now what about this lucky lady of yours?" his mother prodded, his father giving her a look from beside her and putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Her name is Korra, and I'd say I'm the lucky one in our relationship." Bolin told them as his mother snaked her arm around his fathers waist. "She's beautiful and strong and talented and brave and buff and basically perfect!"

"What's she look like?" His father asked carefully.

"She's gorgeous! She has perfect, dark skin and silky brown hair that she wears in three ponytails, one on either side of her face and one in the back. She's lean and strong and has the perfect, big blue eyes. And oh! Don't even get me started on her smile! It could melt the biggest ice burg around faster then her fire bending, its so bright and amazing."

"She's a fire bender?" his father asked. "Why does she live in the southern water tribe then?"

"Well, Dad, she's actually the Avatar," Bolin said, the biggest smile breaking across his face as pride filled his heart.

"My Boy managed to steal the heart of the Avatar?!" His mother cried. "That's incredible!"

"Oh no, she stole my heart long before I managed to get hers, I knew she was special from the minute I first saw her." He was shocked to realize tears were streaming down his face and that his throat was beginning to get clogged with emotion.

"What's wrong, Bo?" His father wondered, also shocked by his sons sudden sadness.

"I just wish you were here, I know you'd love her.." with that he couldn't contain his grief. He slid off of the swing and onto his knees in the snow, tears streaming down his face as his chest felt like it had been hollowed out. He looked up at the moon, shining brilliantly in its full glory, casting a beautiful silver glow on his image of his parents, it was more like they were ghosts then actual people now. His heart contracted and he couldn't stop the sobs that wracked his body. He was shaking more from the pain then he was from the cold.

He didn't know how long he sat there. It could have been hours and it could have been minutes. So caught up in his emotions, he didn't notice the three sets of footsteps crunching their way to him in the snow until a small, warm hand rested on his shoulder. He looked up and saw that it was Korra, her parents standing not far behind her with matching looks of sympathy and concern.

"Who are you talking to, Bo?" Korra asked, looking down at him, his fathers voice echoing in his head as she used the same pet name. She noticed the redness around his eyes, nose and ears and that tear tracks had frozen to his cheeks. He didn't even notice.

"My parents.." he told her, looking down at his hands to avoid meeting her eyes.

All at once, the three water benders moved. Korra sat in front of Bolin to heat her hands and set them on either side of his face as Senna and Tonraq knelt beside him, each setting a hand on one of his shoulders.

"Why are you doing this out here in the cold, all alone?" Senna asked softly.

"I didn't want anyone to see me.." Bolin told her, still looking at his hands. "Its been so long since I spoke to my parents."

"Does your brother know you do this?" Tonraq said, uncharacteristically quiet and comforting.

"No."

"Why not?!" Korra demanded.

"We don't talk to people about our lives, not even each other. When we were kids we were more concerned about making sure we were both okay physically, it never occurred to us what our emotions could do."

Korra, Tonraq and Senna all looked at each other. The regret and heart break they felt for this poor earth bender, and his fire bending brother, was visible in their eyes.

"From now on you come to us when you want to talk about your life, okay?" Senna decided. "We care about you, and your brother and his lady friend, as if you were all our own kids."

"That's one hundred percent right" Tonraq added.

Bolin looked at the two. People he had just met a week or so ago, telling him they cared for him as a mother and father would their son. He thought about what they said, and what it meant to him. He no longer had to sneak away to sit in the cold and talk to the ghosts of his past. Although he would always think of his real parents, he had other people to talk to and use as role models.

He never, in a million years would have thought that it was possible for him to be so happy and sad at the same time. He wrapped his arms around Senna and Tonraq, still looking down.

"Thank you..so much." he said to them, raw emotion dripping from his voice. They hugged him back and Korra joined them.

After sitting there huddled like that for a few minutes Bolin pulled away, wiped the tears from his eyes and gave them all his patented Bolin smile.

"Let's go home." he said to them, easily refering to the water-tribe home as his own.

Together, they all trudged back to the house, each couple holding hands as they had a hushed conversation about the next days plans. For the first time in a long time, Bolin felt like he had a full family. Nothing could take away the pain his parents left behind, but the love of the people around him could certainly help it hurt a little less.


	2. Hello

Hello everybody!

I reread this (I actually wrote it like a year before I posted it here) and I thought maybe I should make it into a larger and more detailed story!

If any of you think it would be a good idea, or if you have ideas or advice, please please PLEASE tell me! I'm not sure exactly how I would do it, so any idea is a great help even if its a small detail!


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